LeBron Defends Luke Walton As Lakers Search For Head Coach Replacement

LeBron James has launched a passionate defense of Luke Walton after yet another disappointing campaign for the Los Angeles Lakers. The NBA’s second most successful franchise was eliminated from the playoffs with over 10 games to go making it six successive campaigns away from the post-season – an unwanted franchise record.

It is widely believed that the Lakers will show Walton the exit door this summer and make way for a new head coach after he was unable to deliver post-season basketball in his three seasons at the helm. But James feels the Lakers coach made the best with the hand that he was dealt, which will come as a big endorsement when it comes to decision time for the Lakers management.

“(You have to) control what you can control, and you’ve got to play the hand you’re dealt,” James said, as quoted on Fox Sports. “I think (Walton) played the hand as well as he could.”

The Lakers had a dreadful season in terms of injuries with James missing 18 games with a groin strain, Rajon Rondo missing big chunks of the season with a hand injury, while Lonzo Ball has not played since suffering an ankle injury in late January. It has played a major part in derailing the Lakers’ campaign.

Walton’s team were in fourth place in December with a 20-14 record in the Western Conference and looked like certain contenders to make the playoffs. But James’ injury saw them slip to ninth place and further injuries to key players ensured they never recovered even after the three-time NBA champion returned.

And James believes the injuries played a major role in ensuring they missed out on the playoffs and believes the coach cannot be blamed entirely for their situation. James pointed to the 23 games he, Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram were on court together to prove that a lack of injuries would have seen them record more wins than they have done thus far.

“Nobody expects for injuries to happen the way they did with our franchise this year. … I’m not talking two or three games here, everyone’s back in the lineup. We’re talking 15, 20, 25 games. I saw something the other day where myself, B.I. (Ingram), Zo (Ball) and Kuz (Kyle Kuzma) only played 23 games together this year. 15-8," he said.

“We had a defensive rating of fourth in the NBA, and we were like seventh in offense when we played together in 23 games. As good as that is, it’s not enough for Luke to even be able to know what he has on a consistent basis, when you don’t have a consistent roster every single night throughout a full season,” he added.

The currently unemployed Tyronn Lue, formerly of the Cleveland Cavaliers, is among the contenders to replace Walton, while they have also been linked with Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle and Los Angeles Clippers’ Doc Rivers.